Todd's Road Grace Church would
like to invite you to listen to a sermon by our pastor, Todd
Nyberg. We are located at 4137 Todd's
Road, two miles outside of Manowar Boulevard. Sunday services are
at 10.30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Bible study is at
9.45 a.m. Wednesday services are at 7 p.m. Nursery is provided for all services.
For more information, visit our website at toddsroadgracechurch.com.
Now here's our pastor, Todd Nybert. Lazarus has walked out of the
tomb, and the Lord raised him from the dead. He had been dead
for four days. The Lord said, Lazarus, come
forth. He that was dead came forth. And there were eyewitnesses to
this. And they come to the Pharisees, verse 47 of John chapter 11,
Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees, a council,
a Sanhedrin, and said, what do we do for this man doeth many
miracles? We cannot deny the fact that
he was able to raise Lazarus from the dead. Now here is what
they think about this. If we let him thus alone, all
men will believe on him, and the Romans shall come and take
away both our place and nation." If men start believing on him,
Rome's going to look at this as a political uprising. And
they're gonna come with an army and they're gonna squash us.
They're gonna take away our place, our nation, our way of life.
We need to do something about this man called Jesus who raised
people from the dead. Now you'd think that the fact
that he was able to raise people from the dead would let them
know there's nothing they could do about it. But still, they
want to try. And one of them, verse 49, named
Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year. Caiaphas was
the high priest. He was one of the ones who had
Christ put to death. He hated Jesus Christ, had no
love for him. But look what he says. I've entitled
this message, The Prophecy of Caiaphas, and you'll see why
as I read this passage of scripture. And one of them named Caiaphas,
being the high priest that same year, said unto them, You know
nothing at all. Now, he was speaking to Sadducees. There were Pharisees and there
were Sadducees. Caiaphas himself happened to
be a Sadducee. The Sadducees were the liberals
of that day. The Pharisees were the conservatives
of that day. And they hated one another, much
the way it is in our day. They hated one another. And the
Sadducee Caiaphas says, you know nothing at all. He was saying,
you guys are a bunch of idiots, is what he was saying. You know
nothing at all. It sounds like the political
environment of our day from both sides. You know nothing at all,
nor consider that it's expedient for us that one man should die
for the people that the whole nation perish not. Now, he says
you're not using any reasoning. That's what the word consider
is generally translated, reason. You're not reasoning this thing
out. I couldn't help but remember one time I was speaking to a
preacher about the atonement of Christ. And this particular
preacher believed that the atonement of Christ was made for everybody.
He died for everybody and made salvation possible for everybody.
But it's up to you as to whether or not it works for you. And
I said to this preacher, I said, do you realize that what you're
saying makes God unjust and it makes Christ a failure? And he
said, what do you mean by that? I said, well, if Jesus Christ
can die for somebody and God go ahead and punish him and send
him to hell anyway, God's unjust. He is punishing for the same
sin twice. And if Christ's intention was
to save everybody and he didn't save everybody, then Christ is
a failure. He failed in his intentions.
And the preacher said to me by way of criticism, you're just
trying to make sense. Well, I'll take that criticism. I don't believe something because
it makes sense. I believe something because the
Bible teaches it, but it does make sense. And what Caiaphas
is saying to them is, you're not reasoning this out. It's
expedient for us that Christ die, that our nation doesn't
perish. If he doesn't die and people
start believing on him, the Romans will come and squash us and we're
in trouble. So it's expedient for us that
one die, that the whole nation perish not. Now look what John
says in verse 51. And this spake he not of himself. Now, he didn't realize this,
but he was being inspired by God to make this statement. You see, God is completely sovereign,
even over our thoughts, and he can inspire Caiaphas to make
this statement. It was a statement of gospel
truth, although he didn't realize it. And this spake he not of
himself, but being high priest that year, he prophesied. that Jesus would die for that
nation. Now, somebody says, how can a
false prophet prophesy something accurately? Well, that's a reasonable
question. Balaam is the arch false prophet. He's spoken of in three different
passages in the New Testament as the prototype of a false prophet.
And he himself said, I cannot go beyond the word of God to
do more or less. You see, God controls even the
thoughts and the words of the false prophet because he is an
absolute sovereign control over everything. Now, here we have
this enemy of Jesus Christ. He was actually used in sentencing
him to death, prophesied. God put that in him to say it. This spake he not of himself,
but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should
die for that nation. And now John tells us what God
the Holy Spirit meant by that statement. We read in verse 52,
and not for that nation only, but that he also should gather
together in one. children of God that were scattered
abroad. That was his purpose in dying,
that he might gather together in one the children of God that
were scattered abroad. Then from that day forth, they
took counsel together to put him to death. Now, John says,
here is what this means. This is the purpose of God. This is the purpose of Jesus
Christ in his death, that he might gather together in one
the children of God who are scattered. He's going to make them one. Now, when the Lord was crucified,
men were doing what they wanted to do. They weren't being forced
to do what they were doing. When they ordered His crucifixion,
both the high priests and Pilate, the Roman government, the men
who were used in this, they were doing what they wanted to do.
They hated Jesus Christ. But Scripture says this, for
of a truth, Acts 4.27, for of a truth against thy holy child
Jesus, whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate
with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together
to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before
to be done. When that man lifted up the hammer
to drive the spike into the hands and the feet of the Lord Jesus
Christ, it is what God's hand and God's counsel determined
before to be done. Now remember Christ is called
in scripture the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
He came to die and this was God's predestinated purpose. Somebody says, do you believe
in predestination? Absolutely. I believe in the
absolute predestination of all things according to the purpose
and will of God. Do I understand it all? Of course
I don't. But God's God. He's in control of everything
and everybody, and His will is always done. A God that's not
the God of predestination is a non-existent God. He's the figment of man's depraved
imagination. He's a weak God. He's a pygmy
God. The God of the Bible is a God of absolute, sovereign
predestination, and He predestinated everything that took place on
the cross. I love what Peter said in his
sermon on the day of Pentecost, him being delivered by the determinate
counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken, and with
wicked hands have crucified and slain. Now, Caiaphas wanted him
dead, and he made this prophecy that he didn't have any idea
what he was talking about. But John tells us what God the
Holy Spirit meant, that he might gather together in one the children
of God. which were scattered. Now, notice
it says that he might gather together in one the children
of God that were scattered abroad. Now, according to the scripture,
there are two kinds of people, children of God and children
of the devil. Now, I don't want to be inflammatory.
This is not trying to demonize people the way political opponents
do one to another. They demonize each other. This
is not what this is about. This is what the Scripture teaches.
The Lord said to the Pharisees, you are of your father the devil. and the lusts of your father
you will do." Those are the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. In
1 John 3, John spoke of the children of God and the children of the
devil. There are two kinds of people
in this world, children of God and children of the devil. And
if I end up not being saved, I will prove myself to have been
a child of the devil. If I'm saved, if God does something
for me, I am a child of God. Now, notice he says his purpose
was to gather together in one the children of God that were
scattered. In John 10, verse 14, the Lord
says, I'm the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and have known
of mine. As the Father knoweth me, Even
so know I the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which
are not of this fold, them also I must bring, and they shall
hear my voice, and there shall be one fold. and one shepherd."
Remember, he's gathering together in one. I think of what the writer
of the Hebrew said of the Lord Jesus Christ and his people.
Hebrews 2.11, both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are
all of one. For the witch cause, he's not
ashamed to call them brother. Now, I want to read a passage
of scripture in John chapter 17. Verse 20, John says, neither pray I for
these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through
their word. Now he said in verse nine of
this same chapter, and this is Christ's great high priestly
prayer for his people right before he dies. He says in verse nine
of this prayer, I pray for them. I pray not for the world, but
for them which you have given me. Seven times in that great
high priestly prayer, he refers to those the Father had given
him. That's a reference to the elect. Now in verse 20, he says, neither
pray I for these alone, I'm just not praying for the 11. but for
them also which shall believe on me through their word." Notice
they shall believe. All of God's elect shall believe. And he's talking about me and
you if we believe. He's praying for those who shall
believe on me through their word. Verse 21, that they all may be
one. Oh, the unity that exists between
believers because of our oneness with Christ. Somebody says we
need unity. We have unity in the gospel.
Verse 21, that they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in
me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us. That the world may believe that
thou hast sent me, and the glory which thou gavest me, I have
given them, that they may be one, even as we are one. I in them and thou in me that
they may be made perfect in one that the world may know that
thou has sent me and has loved them as thou has loved me. Now I want you to think about
what the Lord just said. there to be one in us. Now, how one
are the Father and the Son? Well, the Father and the Son
are the one God. The one true and living God. Oh, the unity that exists between
the three persons of the Godhead. The one God. Three persons in
one God. God the Father, God the Son,
God the Holy Spirit. And there's no way we can even... This is mysterious. The Lord said, I and my father
are one. We're not like each other. We're not very close.
We are one. His thoughts are my thoughts.
His purpose is my purpose. His person is my person. He actually
said, he that has seen me has seen the father. Now, however
one, God the Father and God the Son is, that is how one every
believer is with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy
Spirit. Union with Jesus Christ, not
merely close, but united to him so that when God sees me, he
sees his Son, Jesus Christ. Now this is an eternal union. I've always, if I'm in Christ,
I've always been in Christ. There's never a time when I began
to be in Christ and I always will be in Christ. This union
cannot be severed. He died that together, together
in one, the children of God that were scattered one with Christ. Now, when I think of being one
with Christ, there's something that comes to my mind. I'm a
sinner. I'm a sinner. I am sin. And I believe that. You say, you're saying you're
a sinner. I thought you were a preacher.
You're saved, aren't you? Yeah, but I'm a sinner. I'm a
sinner. You are too, whether you realize
it or not. I am sin. That means that Well, let me
give you two scriptures, and I want to see how you fit into
these scriptures with yourself. Genesis 6, 5 says, God saw that
the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every
imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. My dear friend, does that describe
you? Every imagination of the thoughts
of your heart is only evil continually. And that's God's testimony. And
I hope you believe it with regard to yourself, because if God has
revealed himself to you, you will believe that about yourself. Romans chapter two, verse one,
Paul says, therefore, thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever
thou art that judgest another. You're inexcusable because you
do what they do. You do whatever you're judging
them for, you're guilty of doing. Somebody says, I am not. Well,
God says you are. And if you're not doing the same
thing physically, you're doing something worse in your heart.
That's thou art inexcusable, old man, whosoever thou that
judgest, for you that judge do the same thing. Now, do you see
that about yourself? How you're not qualified to judge anybody
because of who you are. Now, that is what I'm aware of
when I think, me being like that and I can be united with Christ?
How can that be? Well, this is the great mystery
of the gospel. 2 Corinthians 5, verse 21 says,
For he, God the Father, hath made him, God the Son, to be sin. And actually, in the King James
Version, that to be is in the italics. I love the King James
Version, and one of the reasons I love the King James Version,
I realize it's just a translation, but I believe it to be the best
translation. When you see italics, words in italics in the King
James Version, you know they were put there by the translators,
but they're saying they were not in the original text. So
the original text reads like this, for he hath made him sin. God the Father took my sin and
made them to be Christ's sin. And I say this with fear and
with trembling. Christ never sinned in his person. He's holy, harmless, undefiled,
separate from sinners. He never had a sinful thought.
He never had a sinful deed. He's the Holy One of Israel. Yet, He was nailed to a cross
and forsaken by God. There's one reason for death.
Why did Jesus Christ die? Sin. The wages of sin is death. God the Father, because He can
do anything, He's making the way to be just and justify the
ungodly. He took the sins of the elect
and He gave them to Christ. When Christ was in Gethsemane's
garden and saw that cup He was to drink of, and He was sweating
great drops of blood at the thought of drinking that cup, What was
in that cup? The sins of his people. He bare
our sins in his own body on the tree. He was made sin. And that is why God forsook him. That is why the justice of God
killed him. Because he was made guilty of
the commission of those sins. Now, if God killed him when he
was innocent, God would be unjust. No. Christ Jesus took the sins
of his people and became guilty of the commission of those sins.
They became his sins. While he never sinned, the sins
of his people became his sins. And he died unto them, but let
me read the rest of this glorious verse of scripture. For he hath
made him sin who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness
of God in him. Now here is the great mystery
of the gospel. Jesus Christ was made what He
was not, sin. And we are made what we were
not, the very righteousness of God. And that's what that verse
of Scripture says, and we wouldn't dare Even mention that if it's
not what the Bible said. That is why Christ could say
with regard to His Father, Thou hast loved them as Thou hast
loved me. You see, being united to Christ,
He took my sin, He put it away. He took His righteousness, gave
it to me. And now when God the Father sees
me, He sees one. like His Son, in perfect conformity
to His image, justified before God. This is the great way of
God being just and justifying the ungodly. Now here's what
all this looks like if I'm one with Christ. In Galatians chapter
2, Paul said, I am crucified with Christ. Now that's true
of every believer. I am crucified with Christ. When Jesus Christ was nailed
to that tree, I was too, because I'm united to him. I'm one with
him. I am crucified with Christ. That's true of every believer.
That's what baptism teaches. When he lived, I lived. When
he died, I died. When he was raised from the dead,
I was raised from the dead. I'm crucified with Christ, dead
with Christ. Nevertheless, I live. I have
life before God. You see, that life was achieved
by me being crucified with Christ. His life is given to me. Nevertheless,
I live. Yet not I, but Christ liveth
in me. Now, I know that any spiritual
life I have is Him living in me. I don't give myself the credit. I don't give my works the credit.
It's all Him. He, Christ, liveth in me. And the life that I now live
in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God. I live off
His faithfulness, His obedience. He had perfect faith. I'm trusting
His perfect faithfulness to God. I'm justified by what He did. I live by the faith of the Son
of God who loved me. I stand amazed in the presence
of Jesus the Nazarene and wonder how He could love me, a sinner,
condemned, unclean. He loved me and gave himself
for me. Now this is the assurance of
the believer. If God loves everybody and Christ died for everybody,
the way the false gospel states it, then everybody could say
he loved me and gave himself for me and I'll be saved. But
some of those people might be damned even if he did love them
and give himself for them. But that's not the gospel. There
won't be anybody in hell he loved. He loved me and gave himself
for me. And then Paul said, I don't frustrate
the grace of God. I don't make meaningless the
grace of God. Now God's grace is saving grace. It's not an offer. God doesn't
offer anybody grace. He gives grace. By grace, you
are saved. It's his free. You can't pay
for it. It's free. It's sovereign, he
gives it to whom he will. If somebody has a problem with
that, you're saying there's non-grace in the first place, you're saying
you can merit it. But it's sovereign and it's saving. I don't frustrate the grace of
God for righteousness came by the law. If righteousness came
because of anything I do, that's what by the law means. There's
something I must first do before God can do something for me.
If righteousness came by the law, by my doing, then the death
of Christ was utterly in vain, without purpose, and meaningless. But thank God righteousness doesn't
come by the law. Righteousness comes by this,
for he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that
we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Caiaphas, high
priest, one of two high priests. That shows how the Jews' religion
had gone down and degraded into what it wasn't supposed to be. There was only supposed to be
one high priest, but there were two high priests. And Caiaphas,
as the high priest, made this prophecy. It's, this he, well,
it reads this way. This he spake not of himself,
but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should
die for that nation. And not for that nation only,
but also that he should gather together in one the children
of God that were scattered abroad." Now, this man didn't know what
he was saying, but I'm thankful that the Lord put this in his
mouth, that we might know what Jesus Christ was actually doing
when he was dying. He was gathering together in
one. of God that were scattered. May
God bless this message to your heart. Amen.